PREPARING FOR THE BIG SCRAP

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 16

PREPARING FOR THE BIG SCRAP

Many Aucklanders Will Use Christmas Tournament As Trial Spin

SOLID MATERIAL FOR MAJOR EVENTS

(Prom "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) The members of the Auckland Club had a wonderful run at the one-day open pairs tourney staged by the club. They cleaned up the honors of the event against all-comers m fine style. s Kummer and Walker, Dadley and G. J. Mackay won their sections outright. Benny Myers and Jack Mason fought out their section against Carter (Carlton) and Potter (West End) thus notching the win.

DESPITE the dismal forecast by many prominent heads of the sport" that, on account of hard times m the business world," entries for major tournaments would not be maintained this season, it has transpired that both the Christmas and the Dominion tournaments have quite established their customary array of aspiring entrants to the culminating honors. Two hundred and forty-eight players have entered the struggle for the champion banner of the ■Audtlanfl Centre against 232 last seayon. The Dominion tourneys figures are as follow: rinks, 148; pairs, 234; singles, 272; total, 654. The latter figures again establish a record for the Dominion, which were only beaten by Auckland four years ago, when the figures were 673. A comparison with last season shows the entries at Dunedin last year were 422, whe.n a proposal was brought forward there to centralise the tournament on account of the paucity of entries. The teams arrayed for the Christmas tourney comprise some hefty material indeed, and there is no doubt that many are using this tussle as a trial spin for the major event; therefore, the result should be watched with more than passing interest. The winning rink m section A should be found between Harry Wright, of St. Heliers, who won • this event in' 1928, Harry de Launay (Epsom), and Colin Muston (Aucland), who heads an exceptionally strong team m Andrews, Scantlebury and Amptman, and R. Higgot, of Carlton. Section B is not quite so strong.

Nevertheless, it includes Bill Bremner's champion rink team, Frank Ritchie's Carlton combination, . and a team under Arthur Parker (Auckland), -which includes Len Keys, Duncan Campbell and Grocott. Incidentally, Grocott as lead, hails from the Hamilton Club, and is playing splendidly. The other day he gaA'e the champion of his club, Harry. Allan, his first loss m that annual struggle, and should pro A re a tower of . strength iri this tussle. Syd Lamb (Carlton)', who skipped the rink that won the banner m 1927, Layland (Dominion Road) and Fred Steele's Auckland team, should qualify for the post sectional rounds m the C section. Jack Truscott's famous Carlton team, winners m 1923-25 and 26, and Bill Keatley's Rocky Nook team, should easily rake the honors out of the fire In the D section. Max. Walker (Auckland), Arthur Parsons (Ponsonby), and Frank Livingstone (Onehunga), head teams that are more than likely to gain the honors m the E section. Max is playing fine bowls at the present time, but is not quite the dominating figure he was some years ago. The F section includes Bob Green, Jim Cowell, Steve "Vella and Ted Wright, of Onehunga, the team that holds ■ the banner at the present time. The, personnel of this strong combination remains unaltered for the coming scrap. Bob is well on the job this season; Steve Vella can hold his own with the best threes m the centre; while Ted can be stead fastly relied upon to get the best out of the fine combination and play with accuracy the varied range of shots required from a. top-notch skip when the odds are against him. Whittles notable Grey Lynn team is also m this section. This amazingly fine team has been m the final games on many occasions, but always managed to fail to produce the form to notch the culminating honors. Given good bowling weather, this major scrap should be one of the best staged m Auckland for many a day, for the greens are m the pink.